Lynden
Lynden is a city in Whatcom County, Washington. It was named and established in 1874 and incorporated in 1891. Lynden is approximately 5 miles south of the US-Canada border and is located about 15 miles north of Bellingham, and roughly 95 miles north of Seattle, and about 38 miles from Vancouver, Canada. The population of Lynden is about 14,259 as of 2018. Residents of Lynden are known as "Lyndenites". Lynden is also home to the Northwest Washington Fair. Geography The city lies in a broad valley along the winding path of the Nooksack River, which empties into nearby Bellingham Bay. The surrounding area is filled with dairy, raspberry, strawberry, and blueberry farms. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.18 square miles, of which, 5.17 square miles is land and 0.01 square miles is water. History Lynden was begun in 1871 and established in 1874 by Holden and Phoebe Judson near the site of the Nooksack Indian village Squahalish (Nooksack: Sqwehálich). It was named by Phoebe Judson after a riverside town in a poem by Thomas Campbell. According to Phoebe Judson's book, A Pioneer's Search for an Ideal Home, she changed the spelling of "Linden" to "Lynden" be more visually appealing. The city was officially incorporated on March 16, 1891. In 2005, Lynden gained renown for its infamous Lynden Drug Tunnel, built by a band of Canadian drug-smugglers in the basement of a residence 5 miles north of Lynden along the US-Canada border. This is the only known drug tunnel along the US-Canada border. In May 2016, the then-presumptive Republican Party nominee and eventual victor in the 2016 United States presidential election, Donald Trump, held a campaign rally in Lynden at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds. This marked the first time that the presumptive presidential nominee of a major political party in the United States visited the city during campaign season. Donald Trump gave a 45 minute speech to a packed crowd of thousands with lines running out of the fairground to hear his speech. It is reported that is may have been the largest crowds ever at the fairgrounds. On April 1, 2019 post on the Lynden Chamber of Commerce Facebook page announced that they would change the name of the main commercial street, Front Street, to Trump Street. "With the goal of honoring the Nation's 45th President, who first visited Lynden in 2016, Front Street is set to become 'Trump Street,'" announced the post. The street renaming followed a "massive paperwork filing with the Bureau of Streets (B.S.)," it added. "Anytime you rename an established street, it takes some time and we've been working on getting all the necessary B.S. done," said (spokesman) Yuri Fullacrapitis. "To honor Mr. Trump in this way is a great opportunity." The posting was an April Fools joke and was met with smiles amongst locals. Media in more liberal city's got angry at the post. Culture & Events The surrounding area is filled with dairy, raspberry, strawberry, and blueberry farms. Even though not founded by them, the region saw significant Dutch immigration in the early and mid 1900s, spurring the growth of dairies. Today, Lynden pays homage to some of its Dutch heritage through locations such as buildings on Front Street, where some businesses have been made-over with a Dutch theme, complete with a windmill. From 2000 to 2020, the population has nearly doubled in size, with Dutch being more predominate than other ethnic ancestry. Lynden is one of the few cities in the world whose main entrance is between two cemeteries. At one time, Lynden held the world record for most churches per square mile and per capita, although that is unsubstantiated. That title currently goes to Wheaton, Illinois. Due to the town's large population of those who attend or are members of Lynden's many churches, the town has had a long tradition of most businesses closing on Sunday. In recent years, businesses have started to open on Sundays, as in other communities, but the area remains mostly unchanged. A law prohibiting Sunday alcohol sales that was on the books for 41 years was repealed on October 20, 2008, due to changes in the population thinking concerning this matter as well. The city is noted for its manicured lawns, Dutch architecture, and abundance of churches. In August, the Northwest Washington Fair lures over 200,000 people and allows Whatcom County residents to display the agricultural products, art, crafts, and wares. This regional fair is highly regarded as one of the best family friendly fairs in the state. The Raspberry Festival is held the third weekend in July every year. The festival includes the Curt Maberry 3-on-3 basketball tournament, the Razz & Shine Car Show, The Raspberry Fun Run, tours of raspberry fields and wineries and the ever-popular Raspberry & Ice Cream All Day social and a rock wall. Other notable events are the Farmer's Day Parade, the Sinterklaas/Lighted Christmas Parade, the Antique Tractor Show, and many other events that can be seen in more detail at Lynden's website calendar. Category:Whatcom County Category:Cities & Towns Category:Washington State Wiki